WITH winter starting to bite deep, having some kind of a four-wheel-drive vehicle on the driveway is not too bad an idea.

And it doesn't have to be one of those big gas guzzlers that have given SUVs a bad press for so many years now.

With supermini offerings from the likes of MINI, Fiat, Suzuki, and Audi all available with four-wheel-drive, you don't have to think big in order to be safe when the weather turns really nasty.

Take the little Fiat Panda for instance. Now in its third generation, this universally appealing five-door city runabout introduced in 2012, has already started to break the previous model's sales records, because it's now bigger, safer and more economical than before, while retaining its unbelievable go-anywhere goat-like ability.

Just 3,653mm long and 1,643mm wide - far less than a Ford Fiesta - Fiat's design team have worked wonders to create a five-seater (at a push) and still find space for some 870 litres of luggage.

While the Panda is still quite definitely a town car, it comes with big car appeal, with handling and performing similar to a medium-sized hatchback.

As one of the best-loved small cars on the market, the latest Panda now comes with better quality, better driving capabilities and increased off-road abilities.

The original 1983 Panda was the first car in its segment to come with four-wheel-drive, and it proved so sturdy and bullet-proof, that there are still many first-generation models kicking around today. 

Fiat's new engines punch surprisingly above their weight. The 1.3 MultiJet diesel reaches 99mph and returns 60.1mpg on the combined cycle, while my favourite, the 0.9-litre TwinAir turbocharged 84bhp engine, redlines at 103mph and boasts a return of 57.6mpg.

Not only that, but the beauty of the TwinAir engine is that it returns a CO2 figure of just 114g/km, putting it into VED band C, so its annual road tax bill works out at just £30.

Parking is easy with its deep windows and van-sized door mirrors while out on the open road it beavers away totally unphased with the job in hand.

It accelerates in a nippy kind of fashion, but it could be said that a little too much road noise gets the cabin for everyone's taste.

Away from the hustling dual-carriageways and along more twisty country lanes, the Panda comes into its element. But, irrespective of locality, town and country are both home-from-home to this little gem.

Nowadays, owners expect their vehicles to meet a standard unthought of only a few short years ago. They also have to be highly speced up and not only that, have to be safe and secure.

But never fear, the Panda fits the bill superbly, and materials used in the little beastie are all first class. From a safety point of view, it comes with up to six airbags, ABS and even an active anti-whiplash system.

Safety features include electronic stability program and electronic locking differential which ensures maximum safety and optimum traction no matter what the surface.

Its comfort zone includes new slim line seating, electric windows, central locking, Blue&Me connectivity which allows owners to listen to music or use their mobile phones hands free. And amongst other options is a TomTom navigation system with 4.3-inch touch screen.

The overall shape could be classed as a "rounded off" cube and this trend is repeated throughout the interior. In fact the two items that are definitely round are the wheels and the radio buttons.

Space, safety, high specification, economical running costs and great driving ability are what you get with the little Fiat and now Panda 4x4s are starting to find their way back into showrooms as personal finance plans made by original owners come to an end. So there are some great one-owner Pandas lurking in dealer forecourts.

A 2012 0.9-litre TwinAir 84bhp on a 12-plate should have a price tag of between £5,605 and £7,340, depending on condition and mileage, while a similar aged 1.3-litre MultiJet diesel will be much more expensive at between £6,855 and £9,400.

A 2013 13-plate TwinAir will cost from £6,710 to £8,465 with the diesel option costing between £9,450 and £11,495.